Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said the company has learned from past mistakes and will not miss out as the industry continues a trend towards cloud services that are able to support work and entertainment from any location.
The software company is more accustomed to selling and offering customers packaged software, although cloud computing is expected to increase in popularity.
"Cloud computing represents the next frontier," Ballmer proclaimed during Microsoft's recent annual meeting of Silicon Valley executives. "We've been betting or investing in the cloud for about 10 years and in earnest for about six or seven years."
As consumers continue to access content from mobile phones, tablets, TVs, and a wider variety of products, the growth of cloud computing will continue. Some businesses are hesitant to embrace cloud computing, but that may cause them to miss out on a future multi-billion dollar industry.
Microsoft clearly doesn't want to be left out as home users and the enterprise continue to seek cloud-based computing services. The Xbox 360 game console's Project Natal, scheduled for release this fall, should be able to extend further than just gaming. Microsoft believes Natal's use of facial recognition technology can be used to watch TV, to chat with friends, video calls and for additional online services.
During a speech at the University of Washington in March, Ballmer even said Microsoft is "all in" for cloud computing efforts. Indeed, the company’s Azure platform will also give developers the chance to create new cloud apps and services in a unique coding environment ranging from a cloud OS to cloud database.
Microsoft has faced fierce competition in markets that it previously held strangleholds on, so it's good to see the company continue to make changes and anticipate success through cloud computing. Once the economy is "reset" it should provide a clear avenue towards opportunity for Microsoft and other companies that hope to be on the forefront of new cloud-based products.
